Disclaimer: All hail Marc Brown, creator of the Arthur series.


A/N: This story is partially based on a real one. My childhood friends and I used to really like watching Arthur. Whenever they come to mind I usually think of this cartoon, so it felt appropriate to recreate part of our friendship together through its characters…

Muffy stared into the shop window, a smirk spreading its way across her face.

"No, not again. We're gonna miss the movie!" Francine complained.

"Oh, this'll only take a minute." Entering the shop, Muffy pulled at the fingers of her gloves and shoved them into her pocket. "Just look at this dress!" she said, feeling its material with one hand while holding it up with the other. "And it's silk, I knew it,"

"Don't you think that's a little mature?" Francine wrinkled her nose. "You're only 14."

"But I'll be 15 next month. And let's be honest, my fashion sense has always been a little ahead of its time. I'm gonna try it on!" the redhead insisted as she breezed past her friend and into one of the fitting rooms. Francine waited outside impatiently, wondering if all the good seats in the theatre were taken. "It's perfect!" she heard Muffy say as the fitting room door opened up and she stepped out.

Francine's eyes widened.

"Muffy!" she exclaimed before slapping a hand over he mouth. She hadn't meant to say it so loud, but that was just her way sometimes. "Muffy, that is way too short. And look at the neckline. I don't care how much fashion sense you have. Common sense should tell you that a girl your age doesn't need to show that much cleavage. Not unless you want your dad to kill you!"

"Who says he has to know about it?" Muffy scoffed while turning to get a look at her backside in the mirror. "He doesn't know about the mini skirt I'm wearing to the movies today," she shrugged and went back into the dressing room. "I'm buying it."

Shaking her head, Francine knew that her pleas had fallen on deaf ears. It wasn't like she considered herself to be perfect. She wasn't a straight A student, she broke her curfew at least once a week, and sometimes she yelled things to her parents that she wished she hadn't. But as they got older, it seemed as if Muffy was crossing the line in ways that Francine had never even considered.

Up at the register, the cashier rung up Muffy's new blue dress.

"That'll be $94.99 please." The girl handed over her debit card and waited for authorization to complete itself. Francine rolled her eyes at the way her friend seemed to just blow her money. Tearing the receipt away from the register as it finished printing, the cashier placed it in the bag with Muffy's dress.

"Thanks," the girl smiled, throwing her long hair over one shoulder. "Alright, let's go."

"Finally," Francine grumbled.


"What took you guys so long?" asked Arthur. He and Buster had been waiting at the movie threatre for nearly half hour. Then he noticed the shopping bag in Muffy's hand. "Oh, no wonder," he rolled his eyes.

They were just in time to catch a couple of pre-views before the actual movie started. It was the very last installment of the Henry Screever series and anybody who was anybody had to see it. So when Muffy left the movie to use the bathroom, but didn't come back for a long time, Francine was understandably concerned. After twenty minutes, she went looking for her friend.

"Muffy?" the girl asked after finding her in the lobby talking to Binky and Rattles.

"Oh, hey, Francine. Look who's here," she smiled, twirling a lock of red hair between her fingers.

"What's up Frensky?" asked Binky. Rattles just gave her a nod.

"Nothing…uh, Muffy, you're missing the movie. Is everything okay?"

"Sure," the other girl shrugged.

"Alright, Muffler," Rattles jabbed her in the arm playfully, "We gotta split. Take care, you guys."

"Okay. Call me later with directions to the party."

"Will do."

"Nice seeing you again, Frensky," Binky said before lowering his sunglasses and exiting the theatre with his friend.

"Yeah, sure," Francine smiled weakly. She waited until the two boys were out of earshot to start talking again. "You still talk to Rattles? I thought your dad said he wasn't cool with that anymore."

"What does he know?" Muffy practically snarled. "Anyway," her voice sweetened. "Did you notice the way Binky kept trying to get your attention? I could give him your phone number if you want me to. You guys would make such a hot couple."

"What? No way, Binky has a pretty bad reputation these days and I'm not really allowed to date yet. Besides, you know that I have a crush on Arthur," Francine's face reddened bashfully.

"That loser? Binky has a car, Francine, and so does Rattles. What does Arthur have? Don't tell me your okay with him taking you to the junior prom on his bike," Muffy laughed. "Don't be such a child."

Francine frowned, wondering if maybe she wasn't acting grown up enough. She sometimes wondered if it might ruin their friendship.

"Yeah…I'm sure you're right," she said. "Let's just go finish the movie."


Francine was quiet on the way home from the theatre. She stared out the window of Muffy's limo in a slump.

"Let's listen to some music," the other girl said. She couldn't stand the silence. The voice of a familiar Saturday night DJ came onto the radio once she turned it on.

"This is KRZR, Elwood City's best Pop-Rock station. My name is DJ Romeo. Call me with your requests!"

Muffy suddenly squealed clasping her hands together.

"He has such a sexy voice. I have such a crush on him!" she said suddenly.

"On who, the radio guy? How do you even know what he looks like?" asked Francine.

"I got to go to the station once with my dad when his dealership decided to air a commercial promoting his business. We were just there to sign some papers and stuff, but I started wandering around and I saw DJ Romeo in the studio before someone finally caught me."

"Well…what did he look like?"

"Oh, I dunno. I just saw the back of his head. But I also saw that he had a tattoo on his arm. Isn't that sooo hot?"

"I guess," Francine shrugged.

"Sometimes I call in, ya know."

"Yeah, me too. Last night I requested—,"

"No," Muffy interrupted. "I don't call to request anything. I just stay on the line with him for a while."

"What do you guys talk about?" the other girl suddenly straightened up.

"Just relationships and stuff." Francine's eyes widened. "What? It's nothing bad. I mostly just tell him about how I like Rattles, that I like older guys in general. He says I sound sophisticated, that I talk like I'm his age."

"His age? How old is this guy?"

"He's…24."

"And he's okay talking to a 14 year old?"

"No…he thinks I'm 16."

"That's not much better, Muffy. This sounds like trouble. I'd stop talking to him if I were you."

"Relax, it's not like we're gonna start dating or anything."

Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted.

"Now approaching your apartment building, Ms. Frensky," Bailey said through the intercom. The limo came to a slow and she climbed out.

"See you at school tomorrow," Muffy said after rolling down the window. He friend nodded and watched as the vehicle pulled away from the curb.

Feeling overwhelmed, Francine went to bed early that night.

"What's wrong, kiddo?" he mother asked after poking a head into the girl's room.

"Nothing," her daughter answered, but that was a lie. She was worried about Muffy. Something about her behavior made the girl feel uneasy. It was times like this when she wished that Katherine still lived at home. She really needed someone to talk to; someone who wasn't a parental figure and wouldn't freak out about what she had to say. "I'm just tired, that's all. Goodnight, Mom."

"Night, Frankie."

To Be Continued...